Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Jennifer Kahn will update attendees on gene editing and gene drive technologies, which are quickly evolving. She will also discuss their implications for society, extending from their use in areas such as human fertility, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. Recent developments in China, where this technology was used on embryos, has raised concerns globally on the use of these technologies. Kahn is returning to the Club after her sold out program on this topic in November to update members on recent developments. Gerald Harris, chair of the Technology & Society member-led forum, will interview her; the discussion will be followed by a question and answer session. MLF Organizer Gerald Harris MLF: Technology & Society Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This program is generously supported by The James Irvine Foundation. The private, San Francisco-based foundation has $2.3 billion in assets and makes annual grantmaking of nearly $100 million. The Irvine Foundation’s singular goal is a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. Key industries in California, from restaurant to technology to hospitality, touch our lives each day and are central to the state’s economy. Yet hundreds of thousands of workers fueling these industries face daily challenges in making ends meet. Whether working the night shift or behind the kitchen door, many have limited voice or influence on the economic conditions that affect their lives and families. A 2018 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute, found that nearly half of all California workers struggle with poverty, with more than one-third facing a host of difficult financial choices regularly, such as putting off seeing a doctor or purchasing medications, paying the rent or a mortgage, or paying a monthly bill. And one in 10 struggling workers report wages being withheld by an employer without cause. Join us for an opportunity to hear from three extraordinary leaders who will share their perspectives on the challenges facing working Californians today and their efforts to ensure every worker in California is afforded dignity, respect and the opportunity to advance economically. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the first in The Commonwealth Club's Thought Leadership series on the future of health, featuring in-depth conversations on the challenges driving physical, mental and social health. Homelessness is one of the most critical health issues of our time. Even the best care isn’t enough to keep people healthy if they do not have a roof over their head. A safe, stable home is necessary to thrive. Yet much of America is grappling with some of the highest costs of housing and highest rates of homelessness of our time. What can we do to reverse the trend? What haven’t we thought of? Given the bright minds and wealth of the 21st century, we cannot accept that homelessness is unsolvable. Join a diverse panel of experts and advocates as they discuss this growing public health crisis. Together we will explore new ways to solve homelessness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

FDR's New Deal is widely recognized as a turning point in American history, but David Davenport and Gordon Lloyd go even further, calling it “America’s French Revolution.” Refashioning American government and public policy in ways that have grown to epic proportions today, Roosevelt’s decisions reset the balance of power away from Congress and the states toward a strong executive branch. They also shifted the federal government away from the founders’ vision of deliberation and moderation toward war and action. Having learned that a sense of crisis is helpful in moving forward a domestic agenda, post New Deal presidents have seized on the language of war to extend their power dramatically. They have declared war on everything from poverty and drugs to crime and terror. Exploring the consequences of these ill-defined (and never-ending) wars, Davenport calls for a reexamination of this destructive approach to governance and a return to more deliberative and moderate methods. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs has received a lot of attention for his announcement of innovative approaches to dealing with the California city's problems—such as a universal basic income or the Stockton Scholars program. Has he delivered on his promises? Motecuzoma P. Sanchez (pictured) is an activist and journalist who says he works to hold accountable the leaders in Stockton, where he was born and raised. As the founder of the 209 Times media company, Sanchez has been a persistent critic of Mayor Tubbs. And Sanchez is not without critics of his own, who say he is obsessed with attacking Tubbs and other Stockton political leaders. Come hear a discussion about Sanchez's take on Tubbs's performance in office since he won a landslide victory over an incumbent mayor in 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his new book The Dreamt Land: Chasing Water and Dust Across California, author Mark Arax reveals the tumultuous history behind the myth of abundance in the Golden State. LA Times reporter Diana Marcum and water expert Faith Kearns explore the complex intersections between drought, climate change, and life in rural California. Can a decades-old distribution system meet the water needs of the future? How will climate change affect the California Dream? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August of 2017, white nationalists marched through the University of Virginia in Charlottesville to protest the removal of Confederate Army leader Robert E. Lee’s statue through a series of racist and anti-Semitic chants. The Unite the Right rally turned deadly when confronted by counter-protesters, in which a self-identified white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of people opposing the nationalists and killed a 32-year-old woman while leaving 19 others in critical care. Former Democratic Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe recounts his experience and perspectives during Charlottesville in his new book, Beyond Charlottesville: Taking a Stand Against White Nationalism. From declaring a state of emergency to condemning President Trump for claiming there were “very fine people on both sides” of the protest, McAuliffe takes a hard look at Virginia’s history of racism and the factors that led to the tragedy in Charlottesville. He lays out the work done afterwards to prevent future Unite the Right rallies and discusses what still needs to be done as America continues to grapple with its racialized history and its long struggle to fight racism, extremism and hate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dan Pfeiffer was one of President Obama’s longest-serving advisers and closest confidantes, working on his historic campaign and spending six years in the White House as communications director and senior adviser to the president. As a co-host of the wildly popular podcast “Pod Save America,” Pfeiffer is one of the most visible progressive voices today. In his best-selling book Yes We (Still) Can, Pfeiffer recounts how Obama navigated the political forces that created Trump and explains why everyone got 2016 wrong. With the start of another marathon election cycle, he’ll talk about what Democrats should and should not be focusing on in 2020. Join us for a fun conversation with a man who has spent the last decade on the frontlines of American politics. This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A prize-winning writer for the San Francisco Chronicle in the tumultuous 1970s, Duffy Jennings covered the Patty Hearst kidnapping, the Zodiac and Zebra serial murders, and the City Hall assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. Jennings also covered major fires, gangland crime, labor union strife, city government news and more. In Reporter’s Note Book, Jennings weaves the political, criminal, public and personal events of the 1970s into a masterful reflection on the heart of a turbulent Bay Area, all bolstered by his uncanny memory and tender wit. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. While the conditions in Central America produce caravans and others seeking safety, the rights of asylum seekers are continuously under attack. Come learn about the roots of the problem—why people are fleeing, the mental health consequences and the difficult yet lifesaving process of seeking asylum. This presentation will highlight the role the U.S. government has played over the past decades in creating the so-called border crisis and will debunk the Trump administration’s attacks on asylum law. Founded in 1982 in response to civil wars and genocide in Central America, East Bay Sanctuary Covenant has been a leader in the sanctuary movement, providing yearly legal protection, advocacy, support and family reunification to thousands of refugees and undocumented immigrants. MLF Organizer: Patrick O'Reilly MLF: Psychology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Lee Holden is a renowned instructor in Qi Gong, meditation and Tai Chi. He Has worked to bring the ancient Taoist teachings to the West. Lee offers simple techniques to enhance well-being. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Robert Kilpatrick NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Louise Aronson has received numerous awards for her medical work, teaching, educational research and writing. In Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life, Aronson urges a large-scale shift in society and medicine’s attitudes toward aging and offers a powerful roadmap for how we all approach old age. She shares anecdotes from her 25 years of caring for patients and her own experiences of getting older and watching her parents age. She also draws from history, science, literature and popular culture to offer hope about aging, medicine and humanity itself. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Denise Michaud NOTES MLF: Grownups Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s solutions for addressing climate change are doable, but daunting: decrease global meat consumption, improve family planning, shut down coal-fired power plants, or expand solar energy – where to start? How do we best allocate resources, prioritize policies, and design economic tradeoffs as we move forward? What are the most impactful steps we can take individually and collectively to reduce our impact on the planet? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When sex and technology cross paths, we see a combination of curiosity and censorship, sexism and empowerment, but most importantly, knowledge and pleasure. The intersection between sex and technology goes beyond sex toys—from smart vibrators to apps for your phone that allow you to track and learn from your own experiences—sex tech’s innovation plays a major factor in the future of women’s health and pleasure. Despite these groundbreaking improvements being made for user experience, however, the tech industry continues to reject sex tech and the women who are leading these advancements. In 2016, Myisha Battle launched Sex for Life, which boasts an array of sex coaching practices as well as the sex-positive podcast “Down for Whatever.” Liz Klinger is the CEO of Lioness, a company focusing on creating products to enable sexual self-discovery and well-being. Andrea Barrica is the founder and CEO of O.School, an online sex-ed platform that aims to revolutionize how we feel, talk and understand sex. Join these experts for a conversation about the many obstacles faced by leaders in the rapidly growing sex tech industry and their road to recognition. ** This Program Contains Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From ancient conjurers to quick-handed con artists to Las Vegas illusionists, magicians throughout the ages have been expertly manipulating human attention and perception to dazzle and delight us. The phenomena of cognitive and sensory illusions are responsible for the “magic” of a magic trick, but how and why? Come meet neuroscientist Adam Gazzaley and magician Robert Strong as they team up to demonstrate how magicians use our brains as their accomplices in effecting the impossible—and explain what scientists can learn about the brain by studying the methods and techniques of magic. In association with Wonderfest Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s rise as a technology innovator is challenging the world by working hard, innovating fast and going global. A new book by Rebecca A. Fannin, Tech Titans of China, delves into the Chinese technology sector and its influence and implications worldwide, in tech sectors and beyond. The book is the go-to guide for those seeking to understand China’s grand tech ambitions, who the players are and what their strategy is. Join us for a fireside chat with Fannin and Wei Jiang, venture capitalist, discussing the rise of China's tech giants, China's challenge to the United States for global technology leadership, and the impact of a U.S.–China tech and trade war on Silicon Valley. MLF Organizer: Lotus Fong MLF: Asia Pacific Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the night of the next Democratic presidential candidates debate, and we're all set to watch and comment on that and other political news. Doors will open at 5 p.m., and we will show the debate on the big screen in our auditorium. Then at 6:30, we'll switch over to our panelists, who will discuss the biggest, most controversial and sometimes the surprising political issues with expert commentary by panelists who are smart, are civil and have a good sense of humor. Our panelists will provide informative and engaging commentary on political and other major news, and we'll have audience discussion of the week’s events and our live news quiz! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we cope with the inevitability of death? How can we make better decisions for ourselves and our families? B.J. Miller and journalist Shoshana Berger visit INFORUM to answer the questions about death we’re all afraid to ask with their new book: A Beginner’s Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death. Berger and Miller offer step-by-step instructions on managing the end of life, including how to navigate a complex system of hidden costs and intense emotions without shame and guilt often associated with this period of life. Miller is an assistant clinical professor of medicine at UCSF, where he practices and teaches palliative medicine. Berger is a journalist and editorial director at IDEO. Together they join INFORUM for a lesson on dying—and how to live fully until you do. **This program contains EXPLICIT language** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Keynoush is the author of the book Saudi Arabia and Iran: Friends or Foes? and the editor of a forthcoming book Iran's Interregional Dynamics in the Near East. She was recently a visiting scholar at Princeton University and a visiting fellow at the King Faisal Center in Saudi Arabia. She has translated at diplomatic meetings, and for United Nations secretary generals, U.S. congressional leaders, Nobel laureates and four Iranian presidents. Dr. Keynoush will discuss Iran's regional ties, including with Saudi Arabia, the consequences of the U.S withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and Iran’s decision to increase its nuclear capabilities. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Celia Menczel NOTES MLF: Middle East Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Bees, butterflies, bats, birds and other insects are important actors in maintaining a healthy environment. The health of the environment directly influences human well-being. The quality of the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink profoundly affect how we feel. Research shows that having access to natural places has a significantly positive impact on our mental, physical and spiritual health. But in many parts of the world, pollinators are under siege, from climate change, human disruption of habitat, urbanization and industrial agriculture. Pollinators are the "canary in the coal mine," indicating the rise of present and future threats including food security, biological diversity and environmental degradation. There is hope, and Laurie Davies Adams, the founder and executive director of the Pollinator Partnership (P2) based in San Francisco, will explain the nature of the challenges that pollinators face, share success stories and provide specific ways that individuals, families and communities can become involved in creating sustainable solutions that benefit pollinators and all people. P2’s mission is to promote the hearths of pollinators, critical to food and ecosystems, through conservation, education and research. MLF Organizer: Robert Kilpatrick MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No one wants to overeat. And certainly no one wants to overeat for years, become overweight, and end up with a high risk of diabetes or heart disease—yet two thirds of Americans do precisely that. Why does our behavior betray our best intentions to eat healthy foods in moderation? The reason is that our appetites and food choices are led astray by ancient, instinctive brain circuits that play by the rules of a survival game that no longer exists. These circuits don’t care about how you look in a bathing suit next summer. Join Stephan J. Guyenet for an exploration of some of these circuits and how they conspire with our modern food environment to expand our waistlines. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Patty James NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's special guest: Carole Migden. Carole Migden is a former California state senator (and former state assemblymember, and former San Francisco supervisor and much more) who has worked her entire career to assist underrepresented demographics. Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the past several years, there has been a noticeable uptick in anti-Semitic rhetoric and incidents from college campuses in the United States to terrorist attacks against Jews throughout Europe and, in 2018 and 2019, the tragic hate crimes at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and Poway Synagogue outside San Diego. Marin County has also not been immune, with anti-Semitic symbols found in county schools this past school year. A hatred long thought to be laid to rest, anti-Semitism from both sides of the political spectrum has again become a visible part of American society. No one knows this issue better than Deborah Lipstadt, a professor of modern Jewish history and Holocaust studies at Emory University. Actress Rachel Weisz portrayed Lipstadt in Denial, a film based on her book History on Trial: My Day in Court with a Holocaust Denier. Lipstadt's new book, Antisemitism: Here and Now, has been hailed as one of the most important works on the issue. Where is this hatred coming from? Is there any significant difference between left-wing and right-wing anti-Semitism? What role has the anti-Zionist movement played? And what can be done to combat this latest manifestation of an ancient hatred? Please join us as Lipstadt makes a special visit to Marin County to discuss these questions and what can be done about the the rise of anti-Semitism locally and nationally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Green New Deal, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's vision challenges her own party to go further and faster on climate action than ever before. Her co-sponsor, Sen. Ed Markey, has spent 40 years in Congress and has similar experience pushing for bold climate action. Meanwhile, Rep. Matt Gaetz vigorously supports President Trump – except when it comes to climate and extreme weather, which have battered his Florida district. Gaetz’s Green Real Deal is a market-based alternative to the Green New Deal’s regulatory approach. So what is the deal with climate action in Congress? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Cornel West says his passion is to keep alive the legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.—a legacy of telling the truth and bearing witness to love and justice. In addition to his posts at Harvard and Princeton, West has taught at Union Theological Seminary, Yale and the University of Paris. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in three years and obtained his master’s and doctorate in philosophy at Princeton. Sheryl Davis is the executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission (HRC), a city agency mandated to address the causes of and problems resulting from prejudice, intolerance, bigotry and discrimination in San Francisco. Davis previously served as commissioner from 2011 to 2016, including a tenure as vice chair of the commission. Prior to her work with the HRC, she was the executive director of Collective Impact, a community-based organization in the Western Addition neighborhood of San Francisco. In a polarized country, with issues of voter disenfranchisement, police shootings of unarmed African-Americans and discussions of reparations at the forefront, our guests will explore the possibilities for improved life outcomes and opportunities for black people, particularly in cities such as San Francisco as the wealth gap continues to swell. In commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the HRC, created in response to anti-black racism in businesses, government services and community investments, join us for a conversation with one of the nation’s most prominent and provocative civil rights champions about America’s (and San Francisco’s) present and future racial equity. ** This Program May Contain Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cyber warfare is at the intersection of innovation and danger. It can be comical, like the malware which blasted AC/DC’s song “Thunderstruck” at full blast in the middle of the night in Iranian nuclear facilities. It can also be catastrophic, like EternalBlue, the 2017 cyber battle that closed hospitals in Britain and froze shipping crates in Germany in midair. Richard Clarke, former U.S. national coordinator for security, infrastructure protection and counterterrorism, takes us behind the scenes with the scientists, executives and government officials who are on the forefront of cyber technologies. In the new book, The Fifth Domain: Defending Our Country, Our Companies, and Ourselves in the Age of Cyber Threats, Clarke explains that the threat of cyberattacks is manageable and provides concrete steps that can be taken toward cyber resilience, including building more resistant systems, raising the costs for cyber crime and avoiding the trap of overreacting to digital attacks. From the quantum-computing labs racing to develop cyber superweapons to the boardrooms of corporations that have been hacked to the corridors of U.S. intelligence agencies that work to defend against these attacks, Clarke effortlessly guides readers through the complexities of this fifth domain. Join us for a timely discussion with a former White House terrorism czar on this pressing issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where is America headed? Veteran political analyst David Gergen offers his insights to the polarized state of politics and what we can expect as we head into our next presidential election. Gergen has the unique perspective of serving as a White House adviser to four U.S. presidents from both parties: Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Join us for an engaging conversation on the future of America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we go about feeding a planet that’s hotter, drier, and more crowded than ever? From a remote-controlled organic farm in Shanghai to famine-stricken parts of Ethiopia, innovators are seeking to reinvent the global food system to be more productive and nutritious. Does this mean the end of animal meat? Can a clean, climate-resilient food system be built to distribute calories in a way that is efficient and equitable? Join us for a conversation on how innovation and agriculture, technology, and traditional knowledge are coming together to sustain a planet of eight billion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Jason Flatt, assistant professor at the UCSF School of Nursing's Institute for Health & Aging, will discuss some of the new research findings he presented at the July 2019 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Los Angeles. Past research has shown an increased likelihood of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease for individuals with self-reported memory problems, including up to three times greater risk for future cognitive decline. Dr. Flatt will highlight his recent research on Alzheimer’s risk in the LGBTQ community and touch on the needs for education of health-care professionals and LGBTQ seniors as well as ensuring cognitive and health screenings for LGBTQ community members at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What Do We Know About the Moon? July 20, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of humanity’s first steps on the surface of the moon. In that time, the Apollo missions, a fleet of robotic probes and observations from Earth have taught us a lot about Earth’s surprising satellite. In this nontechnical talk, Andrew Fraknoi, who is sometimes called the Bay Area’s public astronomer, will look at the past, present and future of the moon, including its violent origins, the mystery of the frozen water we have found at its poles and its long-term future as it moves farther and farther away from us. Illustrated with beautiful images taken from orbit and on the surface, his talk will make the moon come alive as an eerie world next door, as a changing object in our skies, and as a possible future destination for humanity and its ambitions. Come find out how the achievements of the Apollo program fit into the bigger picture of our involvement with our only natural satellite. Fraknoi recently retired as the chair of the astronomy department at Foothill College and now teaches noncredit astronomy courses for seniors at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State. He also served as the executive director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for 14 years and was named the California professor of the year in 2007. Fraknoi appears regularly on local and national radio, explaining astronomical developments in everyday language. The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 after Fraknoi in honor of his contributions to the public understanding of science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From millennial "womxn's" happiness to midlife career empowerment, ambitious working women climb succeed professionally not only by mastering their careers but also by simultaneously outsmarting gender bias, ageism and societal expectations that hold us back on the job and in life. Bring your lunch (if you like) and listen to experts discuss the surprising research and insights on how age and generation impact women. Come ready to engage in an intimate, very intergenerational discussion on how we—as ambitious "womxn"—can best build meaningful lives and satisfying careers from our 20s through our 80s and beyond. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Emily Howe NOTES Your Bosslady Forum: The Executive Womxn forum is a discussion series of millennial and Gen X ladybosses, coming together with senior and retired Bay Area businesswomen, to expand our minds, outsmart all workplace "isms," rise together and really (really!) thrive in work and life. MLF: Executive Womxn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and the internet of things: we have all heard of these innovations individually and their potential impacts. But Tom Siebel is working on how these technologies can work in conjunction with each other to have an even greater impact. In his new book, Digital Transformation: Survive and Thrive in an Era of Mass Extinction, Siebel explains how the power of these innovations can be harnessed to radically change and improve our world on a massive scale. He looks at how large enterprises such as Royal Dutch Shell, Enel, 3M, and even the U.S. Department of Defense are leveraging these technologies to predict functionality problems, decrease fuel usage and find vulnerabilities in these systems. How accurately can these systems predict electrical grid failings? What is the most efficient way to minimize fuel usage? How susceptible are these systems to cyberattacks, and how can we improve their security? What is the role of private enterprise as well as government in these pressing issues? Join us for a conversation with the leader of this field to find the answer to these, and many more, important questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cities around the world are bracing for a growth spurt. With over half of the global population living in urban centers, and another 2.5 billion expected to join them by 2050, it’s time to rethink the traditional car-centric cityscape. How do we redesign our cities to withstand the challenges of cars, climate change and rapid population growth? A conversation with three leaders in urban planning and design on building sustainable cities that make public life healthier, more inclusive and more dynamic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Cosmological Koans invites you to take an intellectual journey through more than 50 koans: pleasingly paradoxical vignettes following the ancient Zen tradition. Anthony Aguirre traverses the world from West to East, and through ideas spanning the age, breadth and depth of the universe. Using beguiling koans and a flair for explaining complex science, Aguirre covers cosmic questions that thinkers from Aristotle to Galileo to Heisenberg have grappled with. A playful and enlightening book, Cosmological Koans explores the strange hinterland between the deep structure of the physical world and our personal experience of it. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sammie is a queer, non-binary Pilipinx person with a vivid love for their chosen family, social justice, and grassroots organizing. Currently director of APIENC, a trans and queer Asian and Pacific Islander grassroots organization in the SF Bay Area, Sammie's politics have grown from years of witnessing xenophobia, fighting budget cuts in public schools and learning about trans Pilipinos fighting colonization. It’s from these knowledges that Sammie has worked to train hundreds of young, trans, queer, Asian people to lead from values of abundance and interdependence. Sammie believes that anything can be turned into a chant and brought onto the streets (literally and emotionally). Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Come in out of the fog and let us clear up things for you, at least as far as politics is concerned. Join us as we discuss the biggest, most controversial and sometimes the surprising political issues with expert commentary by panelists who are smart, are civil and have a good sense of humor. Our panelists will provide informative and engaging commentary on political and other major news, and we'll have audience discussion of the week’s events and our live news quiz! And come early before the program to meet other smart and engaged individuals and discuss the news over snacks and wine at our members social (open to all attendees). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it take to raise successful people? Esther Wojcicki, lovingly referred to as the Godmother of Silicon Valley, has a simple answer to this million-dollar question. It comes in the convenient form of an acronym: TRICK (Trust, Respect, Independence, Collaboration and Kindness). It also comes in the form of her new book, How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results. Her tried-and-true advice for parents, employers and mentors of all kinds is to trust individuals to follow their passions and to work hard, to be supportive of their achievements and, above all, to relax. Her wisdom applies to the corporate hiring process, to young parents raising children, to teachers trying to be the best advocates for their students they can be. Wojcicki is a revered high school teacher in the media arts program she founded at Palo Alto High School, a role model for Silicon Valley legends such as Steve Jobs (and his daughter Lisa), and the mother of three successful daughters: the CEO of YouTube, a professor of pediatrics at UCSF medical school and one of the co-founders of 23andMe. Come join us for a conversation about mentoring, trust and unlocking human potential with a teacher and parent who has it figured out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

These three compelling authors show the value of great places to work and how people are truly an asset to investors and society. Michael C. Bush will explore what makes a company a great place to work. Emilie Aries provides understanding and tips to keep employees from burning out. R. Paul Herman explains how you can invest to pursue higher human impact and profit potential. You will enrich your understanding of how people-focused companies make the world better and how you can benefit. MLF Organizer: Elizabeth Carney MLF: Business & Leadership In partnership with Presidio Graduate School Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us as we talk with high-profile gay parents about the joys and challenges of raising families. Our guests: James Loduca leads global inclusion and diversity efforts at Twitter. In this new role, he will lead a team responsible for ensuring the company reflects its service and that Twitter remains a place for people to freely express themselves. He has previously held leadership positions in the tech and nonprofit sectors, where his work has focused on advocating for underrepresented communities and driving a more diverse and inclusive future for everyone. He served as an advisor to the Obama White House and proudly serves as a Latinx member of the LGBTQ Advisory Committee to U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Jeff Titterton is chief marketing officer at Zendesk. Prior to Zendesk, Jeff led engagement marketing at Adobe for its flagship Creative Cloud business. He has also served as CMO at 99designs, VP of marketing at Zoosk, and SVP of consumer marketing and services at PlanetOut Inc, among others. Jeff holds a B.A. in English and economics from Cornell University. He lives in San Francisco with his husband and two children. Dr. Eldon Schriock has been at the forefront of assisted reproductive technology since 1981 and was a member of the medical team that performed the first IVF treatment in Northern California. In the past, as director of the UCSF IVF Program, he established its first egg donor program. At Pacific Fertility Clinic, he takes interest in and has expertise with couples whose IVF treatment has been unsuccessful at other clinics. Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready. ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language ** Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Monday Night Philosophy revives an almost forgotten aspect of 20th century American politics, played out mostly in the Midwest. The progressive Republican Party that came to power in Minnesota with Harold Stassen's election in 1938 had already faded into near obscurity by the 1990s, but Minnesota's modern success story sprang from the ideas and ideals of that dynamic political movement, which emphasized effective government. Issues that are anathema to today's GOP—environmental protection, assistance for vulnerable citizens and economic opportunity for low-wage workers and the middle class—were at the heart of the party's agenda. Minnesota Republicans held that working across the aisle was a mark of strength, not of weakness or disloyalty. Senator Dave Durenberger grew up in and helped build that party and explains how Minnesota's progressive Republicans earned voters' trust and delivered on their promises. Progressive Republican ideas only fell out of favor when an increasingly anti-government, anti-tax national party shifted Republican thinking to the Right. In the ensuing partisan realignment, both the Republican and the Democratic parties have lost public trust. Durenberger argues that the principles and practices of progressive Republicanism are a fitting remedy for what ails American democracy today. MLF ORGANIZER: George Hammond MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy is the seminal publication on charitable giving in the United States. For over 60 years, fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, donors and volunteers, scholars, and other individuals who work in or with the charitable sector have counted on Giving USA to provide the most comprehensive charitable giving data available. First published in 1956, Giving USA is the longest-running, most comprehensive report on philanthropy in the United States. At this event, conducted in association with CCS Fundraising and Foundation Center West, local philanthropic and nonprofit leaders will review national and exclusive data pertaining to Bay Area giving. Philanthropic giving—whether to hospitals, universities, the arts or local nonprofits—impacts the lives of all citizens and determines a range of services available in our communities now and in the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edward Patrick “Slip” Madigan was a football coach who was far ahead of his time, yet he was also a coach for all time, modernizing of the game in the 1920s and 1930s at Saint Mary’s College of California. He was the first mainland coach to play a game in Hawaii and also to travel coast to coast by train to meet an opponent, Fordham University in New York City, thereby putting the tiny St. Mary’s on the national map. He was foremost in his innovative thinking by playing at night and on Sundays. His teams scored more upsets, dressed more flamboyantly and drew record crowds, even without a campus stadium, while defeating college powerhouses with much larger student bodies. He was a coach who couldn’t be denied. Besides his achievements on the football field, he physically built St. Mary’s campus in Moraga, California with the financial success of his football teams. His Galloping Gaels were the definition of the mouse that roared. Come learn more about this one-of-a-kind coach. MLF Organizer: Linda Calhoun MLF: International Relations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This event is the latest in our member-led forums’ Art and Science of Well-Being series. Are Americans suffering from an "empathy deficit,” as Barack Obama claimed in 2006? Studies do show that we are less caring than we were even 30 years ago. But Jamil Zaki argues that empathy is not a fixed trait we’re born with. It's a skill we can all strengthen through effort. Drawing on both classic and cutting-edge research, including experiments from his own lab, Zaki shows how we can overcome toxic cultural divisions. He also tells the stories of people who are living these principles—fighting for kindness in the most difficult of circumstances. Written with clarity and passion, The War for Kindness is an inspiring call to action. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2015, representatives of 193 nations gathered in Paris, agreed that global climate change is underway and that our use of fossil fuels is a primary cause and set goals to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. President Trump ignored these agreements; overturned environmental protection standards; ordered the commencement of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the Keystone Pipeline; and opened national parks, Indian reservations, and coastal protected areas to the extraction of oil, coal, and natural gas. The dramatic opposition at Standing Rock by the Lakota people, other Native Americans and environmentalists inspired many to call for a Green New Deal. Sheehan, known for his public advocacy on the Pentagon Papers, Watergate, the Karen Silkwood Case, the American Sanctuary movement case, and the Iran–Contra scandal will address this pivotal moment in history. MLF Organizer: George Hammond MLF: Humanities Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kick off Pride weekend in San Francisco with award-winning producer Lauren Morelli. Lauren Morelli is a television writer, screenwriter and producer. She is executive producer and writer of a reboot of Armistead Maupin’s "Tales of the City" for Netflix, starring Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis and Ellen Page, which was released June 7, 2019. Previously, Lauren had the honor of working on five seasons of "Orange Is the New Black," which received 17 Emmy nominations, six Golden Globe nominations and six Writers Guild nominations. In her spare time, Lauren also writes short stories and personal essays that you can find in various corners of the Internet. Before moving to Los Angeles in 2007, Lauren received a BFA in modern dance from Marymount Manhattan College. Join us for this important program, and share your questions with us ahead of time by using #EqualityForAll. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to David Wallace-Wells, we’re cooked – literally. In his new book The Uninhabitable Earth, Wallace-Wells explores how climate change will impact not just the planet, but human lives – including how a five degree increase in temperatures would make parts of the planet unsurvivable. But If science and news headlines won’t propel us into climate action, will fear itself do the trick? According to climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, building connection over an existing set of values is critical to communicating the perils of climate change and mobilizing action to address it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This program is part of our Ethics and Accountability series, underwritten by the Travers Family Foundation. George Will has been a columnist for The Washington Post since 1974 and is one of the most influential political pundits today. He is vocally dissatisfied with the directions that both the American Right and Left have dragged the nation. His new book, The Conservative Sensibility, asks Americans to revisit their history books and remind themselves of the values America was founded upon—values which he sees both sides of the aisle straying dangerously far from. The book covers everything from the natural rights of man and the history of American democracy to the modern capitulation of congressional checks on the power of the executive. He believes the solution to many of the high-profile political issues of today can be found by going back to the founders’ intentions for the nation, and by grounding modern solutions more solidly in a historical context. People of all political affiliations have found themselves in agreement with much of what he has to say. Join us for a conversation with one of the most respected journalists and political commentators in the nation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the dramatic decline in bird populations and insect species, how can we help birds flourish in our cities and backyards? With the hope of protecting their continued survival, artist Sharon Beals has photographed and documented the intricacies of birds’ nests and their occupants. Beals will cover the feat of migration, a journey of up to 5,000 miles that a fledgling travels without any parental guidance, and how in our own lives we might be affecting their survival, even from a distance. Beals is the author and photographer of Nests, a visual homage to birds, documenting the nest and eggs specimens dating from the 1800s to the present day. Beals’ sources include the California Academy of Sciences, the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in Berkeley, the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates and the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian. Select images from Nests are currently on view at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, in the Farmer Gallery on the first floor until June 28. MLF Organizer: Lynn Curtis MLF: Arts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Building Blocks to the Future While the San Francisco Bay Area is booming with jobs and (for many) high wages, people are increasingly priced out of the housing market and the region is losing people to fill jobs that are essential to California’s economy. In response to this crisis, we have seen a proliferation of transit-oriented projects (TODs) which place high-density housing above or adjacent to transit centers. TODs provide easy mobility while offering less costly living space. Join us to learn the effective strategies used by planners, policy makers and advocates to implement high quality, equitable transit-oriented station areas. These and other innovations will be discussed at this free, half day summit. Schedule: 9–10:15 a.m. Keynote: Therese McMillan, Executive Director, Metropolitan Transportation Commission Moderator: Secretary Norman Mineta, Secretary (Ret.), U.S. Department of Transportation 10:15–10:30 a.m. Break 10:30–11:30 a.m. Panel Asha Agrawal, Ph.D., Director, Mineta Transportation Institute National Transportation Finance Center Carl Guardino, President and CEO, Silicon Valley Leadership Group Pedro Galvao, Senior Policy Manager, Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California Honorable Cindy Chavez, Santa Clara Supervisor (Invited) Abigail Thorne-Lyman, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Program Manager for the Strategic and Policy Planning Group, BART Moderator: Karen Philbrick, Ph.D., Executive Director, Mineta Transportation Institute * This Podcast is 223 minutes in length as it contains both morning modules back to back. The segment-break is at 66.18. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The action-packed, technology-filled life of spies can be intoxicating to read about or watch on TV. Nowadays, it is hard to imagine these kinds of scenes playing out in real life—but for Jonna Mendez, a former covert operative in the Soviet Union and former chief of disguise for the CIA, everything from complex disguises to “Spiderman” rappelling technology to high-speed car chases were part of her daily life. Her new book, The Moscow Rules: The Secret CIA Tactics That Helped America Win the Cold War, recounts the most exciting parts of the job, as well as the moments with the highest stakes for U.S. interests. Together with her co-author and husband Antonio Mendez, she explains the techniques and technologies that helped the Americans get one step ahead of the KGB. Join us for a conversation with a real-life CIA spy about her experiences as a covert operative and her role in the advancement of the American intelligence strategy that helped America win the Cold War. This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices